Only nine months after the Orange Revolution that swept away a corrupt and cruel regime on a wave of people power, Ukraine's would-be reformers are running out of juice. Last week President Viktor Yushchenko fired his entire government, including former ally Prime Minister Yuliya Tymoshenko, after mutual accusations of corruption by their teams. Prices are skyrocketing; foreign investors are gun-shy as severe shortages of gasoline, meat and sugar spread. The President's move was "absolutely illogical," said Tymoshenko in a televised speech, blaming the crises on Yushchenko's cronies.

The Cabinet implosion was triggered by the dramatic resignation of Olexander...